Changes to Fees and Financial Credit Program Effective May 1, 2019

At its meeting on March 22, Council approved moving forward with the proposed fee changes to PEO’s bylaw.

This page provides details about the changes to Article 39 of By-Law No.1.

PEO licence holder fees have not increased since 2008, and revenues from the growth in the number of licence holders, applications, examinations etc., have not been adequate to keep pace with the rate of inflation of nearly 20 per cent over this time.

As a result, PEO Council has approved that fees related to all licences, examinations, certificates of authorization, consulting engineer designations, engineering intern membership, reinstatements, fee remissions and seals be increased by approximately 20 per cent, effective May 1, 2019. Two current fees previously not included in By-Law No. 1 have been added with an increase of approximately 20 per cent: requesting a re-marking of an exam and requesting a PEO examination to be held outside of Canada.

These are one-time fee increases. Any future fee increases will be decided upon by PEO Council.

Please note that invoices sent on and after May 1, 2019 will include the new fees. If you receive an invoice prior to May 1, 2019, you should pay only the amount requested on that notice.

The bylaw changes exclude for the time being two new fees approved by Council in November 2018. These include: interviews to waive technical examinations and a $10 credit card convenience fee. These new fees may be implemented later.

In addition, the Engineering Intern Financial Credit Program (FCP) has been restructured and eligible participants will no longer have their application fee and first year of enrolment in the Engineering Intern (EIT) program waived immediately. Rather, as of May 1, 2019, eligible participants will now have the cost of their application fee and first year of enrolment in the EIT program (should they have chosen to enroll) credited towards payment of their registration and initial P.Eng. licence fees once they have been approved for a licence.

FAQ - Fee Changes

Why did PEO implement a 20 per cent increase to all its fees?

Current revenues do not enable PEO to fulfil adequately its legislated functions and supporting activities. Revenues from the growth in the number of licence holders, applications, examinations etc., have not been adequate to keep pace with the rate of inflation of nearly 20 per cent over this time.

This is a one-time increase. Any future increases will be decided upon by PEO Council.

Which fees are affected?

Fees related to all licences, examinations, certificates of authorization, consulting engineer designations, reinstatements, engineering intern membership, fee remissions and seals will be increased by approximately 20 per cent, effective May 1, 2019. In addition, two current fees previously not included in By-Law No. 1 have been added with an increase of approximately 20 per cent: Requesting a re-marking of an exam and requesting a PEO examination to be held outside of Canada.

I’ve already received an invoice that includes the former fee. Will I have to pay the new fee?

No. Only invoices sent on and after May 1, 2019 will include the new fees. If you received an invoice prior to May 1, 2019, you should pay only the amount requested on that notice.

When was the last time PEO increased the annual licence-holder fee?

The annual licence-holder fee was last increased in 2008.

I thought any fee increase was subject to the approval of licence holders through a referendum. Is this true?

At its February 2019 meeting, Council approved repealing section 59 of By-Law No. 1 to remove its obligation to always seek member confirmation to increase the annual licence holder fee. Section 59, which was created in 2011, had been determined to be legally invalid, as it infringed on Council’s authority to determine on a case-by-case basis whether to seek member confirmation of by-laws passed by Council. The repealed section of the bylaw read as follows:

59. Council shall seek confirmation by the members of the association of a bylaw passed by the Council pursuant to the act pertaining only to annual fees for licence holders

Council still retains its full authority to decide on passing future bylaw changes, with or without seeking a member confirmation to vote. Council has the authority under section 8(2) of the Professional Engineers Act to pass any bylaw within its bylaw-making powers unless under section 8(3) Council specifies that the bylaw be confirmed by a majority of the members voting on the bylaw.

Council also decided to approve the approximately 20 per cent fee increase under section 8(2) of the Professional Engineers Act without seeking member confirmation of the bylaw change.

Are any other fee changes forthcoming?

The bylaw changes approved by Council in March 2019 and that become effective May 1, 2019, are one-time fee increases to catch up with inflation since 2008. They exclude for the time being two new fees approved by Council in November 2018. These include: interviews to waive technical examinations, and a $10 credit card convenience fee. These new fees may be implemented later.

FAQ - Financial Credit Program

How has the Engineering Intern Financial Credit Program (FCP) changed?

The intent of the program remains the same—to provide an incentive to those who graduate from a program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board to apply for a P.Eng. licence within six months of graduation and participate in PEO’s Engineering Intern (EIT) program; and to encourage international engineering graduates to apply for a P.Eng. licence within six months of their landing in Canada and participate in the EIT program.

Under the previous version of the FCP, fees for the licence application and first year enrolment in the EIT program were immediately waived for eligible candidates. Under the new version of the FCP, all eligible applicants will have the application fees they paid, as well as the fee for the first year of participation in the EIT program (should they have registered for the program), credited towards payment of their registration and initial P.Eng. licence fees when they have been approved for a licence.

Under the new FCP, is enrolment in the Engineering Intern (EIT) program mandatory to receive a credit upon being approved for licensure?

No. Under the new program, eligible applicants who join the EIT program and pay the first year's fee will have that amount credited towards payment of your registration and initial P.Eng. licence fees once they are approved for a licence. Eligible applicants who choose not to enroll in the EIT program will have only their application fee credited at the time of licensure. Participation in the EIT program is voluntary and provides benefits but is not required to become licensed.

What are the benefits to participating in the Engineering Intern (EIT) program?

The EIT program provides guidance and assistance to engineering graduates as they acquire the 48 months of acceptable engineering work experience, including annual reviews of experience to help ensure that an applicant is on the right track for licensing.Those enrolled in the program can also use the title "engineering intern" or "EIT" after their name. Further information about the program is available here.

I submitted my application before the May 1, 2019, deadline but my convocation date will not occur until after May 1. Do I still qualify to have my application fee waived?

No. Applications are only valid when received and the necessary requirements have been met. However, if you submit a completed application and pay the application fee within six months of convocation, and are subsequently approved for a licence, that application fee will be credited towards payment of your registration and initial P.Eng. licence fees.

If my date of permanent residency in Canada("landing") falls after May 1, 2019, but I apply before then, will I be eligible to have my application fee waived?

No. However, if you apply for a P.Eng. licence and pay the application fee, that fee will be credited towards payment of your registration and initial P.Eng. licence fees should you be approved for a licence.

FAQ - Bylaw Changes

What are the official changes to By-Law No.1 that become effective May 1, 2019?

The approved list of changes to By-Law No.1 that were amended on March 22, 2019 and are effective as of May 1, 2019 include:

Fees General (Amended March 22, 2019)

39. (1) As of May 1, 2019, unless otherwise stated, fees including applicable taxes shall be paid on the date specified by the Council. Between March 22, 2019 and May 1, 2019, the fees payable shall remain as set out in this by-law as it read on March 21, 2019.

Licence Fees

(2) An applicant for a licence shall pay an application fee of $360.

(3) A person whose application for a licence has been accepted shall pay a registration fee of $300.

(4) Subject to Section 39(5), a holder of a licence shall pay an annual fee of $265 payable upon registration and on or before each anniversary of registration.

(5) Every Member who has been a President of the association shall be designated as a “Life Member” and is exempt from the requirement to pay the annual fee referred to in Section 39(4). (Amended as of June 22, 2018)

Limited Licence Fees

(6) An applicant for a limited licence shall pay an application fee of $360.

(7) A person whose application for a limited licence has been accepted shall pay a registration fee of $300.

(8) A holder of a limited licence shall pay an annual fee of $265 payable upon registration and on or before each anniversary of registration. However, a former holder of the engineering technology class of limited licence class is not required to pay an additional fee for reissuing the engineering technology class of limited licence.

Provisional Licence Fees

(9) An applicant for a licence who is issued a provisional licence shall pay a registration fee of $300.

Temporary Licence Fees

(10) An applicant for a temporary licence shall pay an application fee of $780.

Engineering Intern Fees

(11) An applicant for a licence shall pay a fee of $90 upon becoming an engineering intern and shall pay an annual fee of $90 on or before each anniversary of becoming an engineering intern.

Reinstatement Fees

(12) A member who resigned from the association shall pay the following fees before their licence may be reinstated:

a. a reinstatement fee of $280;

b. the fees owing by the person to the association at the time the member resigned, if any; and

c. the fees payable for the current year and, if at the time of resignation the member’s annual fee was reduced in accordance with Section 39(14) (Fee Remission), the member shall pay a reduced annual fee of $70.

(13) A person whose licence or limited licence was cancelled for non-payment of fees shall pay the following fees before their licence or limited licence may be reinstated:

a. the fees owing by the person to the association at the time the licence or limited licence was cancelled;

b. the annual fee payable for the current year and, if at the time of cancellation the person’s annual fee was reduced in accordance with Section 39(14) (Fee Remission), the person shall pay a reduced annual fee of $70; and

c. subject to Section d, a reinstatement fee of,

i. $60, if the payments referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) are made in full within 90 days after the cancellation,ii. $280, if the payments referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) are made in full more than 90 days and within two years after the cancellation, andiii. $555, if the payments referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) are made in full more than two years after the cancellation;

d. If the person’s fees were reduced in accordance with Section 39(14) (Fee Remission) at the time the licence or limited licence was cancelled, the reinstatement fee referred to in paragraph (c) is as follows:

i. $60, if the payments referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) are made in full within two years after the cancellation, andii. $555, if the payments referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) are made in full more than two years after the cancellation.

Fee Remission

(14) The Registrar shall reduce part of the annual fee, to the amount set out in Section 39(15) of a holder of a licence or a limited licence who meets the conditions of Section 41.1 of Regulation 941

(15) The reduced annual fee referred to in Section 39(14) is $70 for licence holders and limited licence holders.

(16) If a person no longer meets the requirements of Section 41.1 of Regulation 941, the person shall immediately pay the following fees:

a. any fees owed to the association;

b. the difference, if any, between the amount required to be paid by the licence or limited licence holder as an annual fee for the current year and the amount required to be paid as an annual fee for a person who pays a reduced fee in accordance with Section 39(15) for that year; and

c. a fee of $60.

Consulting Engineer Fees

(17) A person who applies for designation or re-designation as a consulting engineer shall pay an application fee of $265.

(18) A person who applies for permission to use the term “consulting engineers” shall pay an application fee of $55.

(19) A consulting engineer shall pay a registration fee of $265 for each five-year period of designation.

Certificate of Authorization Fee

(20) A person who applies for a certificate of authorization shall pay an application fee of $400.

(21) A holder of a certificate of authorization shall pay:

a. an annual fee of $400 payable upon acceptance of the application and on or before each anniversary of the acceptance; and

b. for each replaced certificate of authorization, a fee of $60.

Examination Fees

(22) A person shall pay the following fees in relation to examinations, which are non-refundable except for the fee set out in Section e.:

a. For each writing of the Professional Practice Examination, $200;b. To write the first Technical Examination, $700;c. To write any subsequent Technical Examination, $200;d. Upon submission of a thesis, $360;e. For each writing of an examination required in support of an application for designation as a consulting engineer, $200;f. An additional fee to write any examination outside of Canada, $180; andg. To request remarking of any examination, $330.

Seal Fees, Replacement

(23) A person shall pay the following fees for the issuance of a seal: